Method for emulating communication standards of transceiver modules for native host devices

Abstract

An adapter device is provided that is configured to interface with a host device according to a first communication standard via a first connector and with a transceiver module according to a second communication standard via a second connector. The adapter device detects that the transceiver module has connected to the adapter device. The adapter device retrieves transceiver module identifier information from the transceiver module and converts the transceiver module identifier information to the first communication standard. The converted transceiver module identifier information and adapter device identifier information are sent to the host device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 at an adapter device that is configured to interface with a host device according to a first communication standard via a first connector and with a transceiver module according to a second communication standard via a second connector, detecting that the transceiver module has connected to the adapter device; 
 retrieving transceiver module identifier information from the transceiver module; 
 converting the transceiver module identifier information to the first communication standard; 
 sending the converted transceiver module identifier information and adapter device identifier information to the host device; 
 storing at a particular address in memory of the adapter device identifier information that is either adapter device identifier information or the converted transceiver module identifier information; 
 responsive to receiving a first command from the host device requesting the identifier information, providing the identifier information stored at the particular address in the memory to the host device; and 
 responsive to receiving a second command from the host device requesting access to information about processing resources of the adapter device, (1) when the adapter device identifier information is stored at the particular address in the memory, swapping the adapter device identifier information with the converted transceiver module identifier information, and (2) when the converted transceiver module identifier information is stored at the particular address in the memory, swapping the converted transceiver module identifier information with the adapter device identifier information. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving another instance of the first command from the host device; and 
 in response to receiving another instance of the first command, sending to the host device the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory such that as a result of the sending the host device has both the adapter device identifier information and the converted transceiver module identifier information. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising emulating the first communication standard for communicating with the host device by sending to the host device the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising emulating the first communication standard so as to enable the transceiver module to exchange communications with the host device according to the second communication standard that is different from the first communication standard. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 receiving the first command comprises receiving the first command comprising information configured to instruct the adapter device to provide inventory information of the adapter device; and 
 receiving the second command comprises receiving the second command comprising information configured to instruct the adapter device to provide interface transceiver capabilities of the adapter device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication standard is a Multiple Source Agreement (MSA) X2 communication standard, and the second communication standard is a MSA Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (SFP+) communication standard. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: detecting that the transceiver module has not connected to the adapter device; and, in response thereto, providing to the host device only the adapter device identifier information. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter device identifier information comprises field replaceable unit identifier information of the adapter device and wherein the transceiver module identifier information comprises field replaceable unit identifier information of the transceiver module. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus comprising:
 a first connector configured to electrically connect with a host device according to a first form factor; 
 a second connector configured to electrically connect with a transceiver module according to a second form factor; 
 a controller configured to exchange control signals with the transceiver module via the second connector and to exchange control signals with the host device via the first connector; 
 a memory configured to store identifier information at a particular address; and 
 a processor coupled to the memory and the controller, and further configured to:
 detect that the transceiver module has connected to the second connector; 
 retrieve transceiver module identifier information from the transceiver module; 
 convert the transceiver module identifier information to the first communication standard; and 
 send the converted transceiver module identifier information and identifier information of the apparatus to the host device; 
 store at the particular address in the memory identifier information that is either identifier information of the apparatus or the converted transceiver module identifier information; 
 responsive to receiving from the host device via the first connector and the controller a first command requesting the identifier information stored at the particular address, provide to the host device via the controller and the first connector the identifier information stored at the particular address in the memory; 
 responsive to receiving from the host device via the second connector and the controller a second command requesting access to information about processing resources of the apparatus:
 swap the identifier information of the apparatus with the converted transceiver module identifier information when upon receiving the second command, the identifier information of the apparatus is stored at the particular address in the memory; and 
 swap the converted transceiver module identifier information with the identifier information of the apparatus when upon receiving the second command, the converted transceiver module identifier information is stored at the particular address in the memory. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive from the host device via the first connector and the controller another instance of the first command; and 
 in response to receiving another instance of the first command, send to the host device via the controller and the first connector the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory such that as a result of sending the identifier information the host device has both the identifier information of the apparatus and the converted transceiver module identifier information. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to emulate a first communication standard associated with the host device for communicating with the host device by sending to the host device via the controller and the first connector the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to emulate the first communication standard so as to enable the transceiver module to exchange communications with the host device according to a second communication standard that is associated with the transceiver module and that is different from the first communication standard. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive from the host device via the first connector and the controller the first command that comprises information configured to instruct the apparatus to provide inventory information of the apparatus; and 
 receive from the host device via the first connector and the controller the second command that comprises information configured to instruct the apparatus to provide interface transceiver capabilities of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       14. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:
 detect, at an adapter device that is configured to interface with a host device according to a first communication standard via a first connector and with a transceiver module according to a second communication standard via a second connector, that the transceiver module has connected to the adapter device; 
 retrieve transceiver module identifier information from the transceiver module; 
 convert the transceiver module identifier information to the first communication standard; 
 send the converted transceiver module identifier information and adapter device identifier information to the host device; 
 store at a particular address in memory of the adapter device identifier information that is either adapter device identifier information or the converted transceiver module identifier information; 
 responsive to receiving a first command from the host device requesting the identifier information, provide the identifier information stored at the particular address in the memory to the host device; and 
 responsive to receiving a second command from the host device requesting access to information about processing resources of the adapter device, (1) when the adapter device identifier information is stored at the particular address in the memory, swap the adapter device identifier information with the converted transceiver module identifier information, and (2) when the converted transceiver module identifier information is stored at the particular address in the memory, swap the converted transceiver module identifier information with the adapter device identifier information. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions operable to:
 receive another instance of the first command from the host device; and 
 in response to receiving another instance of the first command, send to the host device the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory such that as a result of the sending the host device has both the adapter device identifier information and the converted transceiver module identifier information. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer readable storage media of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to emulate the first communication standard for communicating with the host device by sending to the host device the identifier information that is stored at the particular address in the memory. 
     
     
       17. The computer readable storage media of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to emulate the first communication standard so as to enable the transceiver module to exchange communications with the host device according to the second communication standard that is different from the first communication standard.